Our research plan outlines a sequence of multidisciplinary studies which are to be conducted during the next five years. These experiments should provide the basis for future projects to be carried out within the framework of an alcoholism research center. The proposed sequence of clinical experiments can be subdivided into two general areas: 1. Experimental analysis of the drinking patterns of chronic alcoholic subjects given an opportunity to obtain alcohol at any time by performing an operant task; 2. Correlation of the following behavioral and biological factors with drinking patterns and tolerance for alcohol: a) cognitive function, b) studies of affect, c) adrenocortical function, d) adrenomedullary and adrenergic function, e) water and electrolyte homeostasis. The behavioral and biological indices to be examined in this study may be of major significance in alcoholism since they relate to processes of tolerance, physical dependence, and intercurrent illness associated with problem drinking. Assessment of these indices as described in this proposal will complement data we and others have obtained with programmed alcohol dosage and spontaneous alcohol ingestion research paradigms. The use of an operant work contingent alcohol acquisition technique paired with spontaneous alcohol ingestion should provide a closer degree of approximation to real life drinking situations for determining the significance of any observed alterations in the biological and behavioral variables to be measured in this study.